Channel assembly



y 1942' B. s. FLORADAY CHANNEL ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1939 May 12, 1942- B. s. FLORADAY CHANNEL ASSEMBLY Filed July 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 12, 19 42 'fnlitmi "s.;.1-,"j1b1f-aiiay,f j'r lel o, Ohio, assignor to Marvel EquipmentCorporatiom Detroit, Mich,

*This invention relatestd the guidingof the movement of windows; for vehicles particularly automobiles, in: which the-windows are mounted for sliding movementtoward and away from poe sitions to; cover or, uncover thefwindow fop'ening, a well being disposed! below the, window opening for receiving; the window' and guiding; devices being disposed within the well to facilitate and guide the movement of the window-.- '7

An object is to, produce "new and improved guide" means disposed within thfegwellf for the window; such means includinganti-iriction devices,such as rollers, -carried;by thewindow, oertain of which have lostamotion toward and away from guide tracks within :the window .well, spring means urging these devices into'-- intimate contactwith the guide tracks andcompensating for inaccuracies or, irregularities in the associated structures, thereby to afiordlimited movement of the window indirections at right angles to the path of movement of the windcw. v

Another object is to produce guide means of; the above character affording a'three pgint contact with the guide tracks, certainzof the-antifriction devices being arranged above and below the inner edgeof the window, thereby to facilitate movementof thewindow and tomil-itate against cramping of the window in the guide channels.

Other objects cf- ;the inventiom will hereinafter. appear. and for purposes of illustration but notof limitation,.embodimentsof the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in c f -f-r -Figurelis a-fragmentary side elevatiompartly broken away and partly-in-section; of-an automobile door, embodying the invention; 1

- -Figure,21is an enlarged fragmentary-view of the guidingmeans 'parts being omitted and-broken away for purpose of clarity;: g

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2';

form of Igiiideniearis'in which' dnelof the-mugs is pivotally connected to intranet; I V j Figure 5 is sectional,view substantially on the line .55 of Figured; t Figure 6,. is a fragmentary lview of another form of guide meansin which three, rollers are at PPratidh f n Y Annette Ja .127, 1939, M 28,6572 7 of anautomobile door equipped with the guiding 'Fig'ure'4 is a fragmentaryviw ofanalt ernate V means shown in Figures; 6 and 7-. 5

The illustrated embodiment of theinvention comprises anautomobile door I 0, such as a front door, having a window opening H which is. adapted to be closed by a'window glassl 2.. Separated from the window opening II by, a pillar or; channel bar: I3 is a window opening 14, generally triangular in shape, awindow glass [5 of theso-called wing type being suitably mount; ed, preferably'on an up and down pivot, .toclose the opening i l. The channel bar which is pref erably U-shaped in cross section with, a; latera1 extension to overlap the "glass l5, extends, into a well [B into which-the vertically movable wine dow l2 moves to; uncover thewindowopening'l IQ a of which are bent over upon themselvesfasindicated at 2 l to provide guide tracks. 1

EmbracingtIieJOWeredge of the window I2 is a channel member 22- .to the underside of which are secured laterally spaced dependingrree tainer parts 23 and 24.)Each retainer partisi formed with a horizontally elongate guide 25 receiving guide members 26-respectively on a- T,- shapedplate 21'to which are pivoted the. outer ends of parallel regulatorv arms 28 and 29.' The regulator arms-28 and 29 form part of a window regulator connected .to be actuated by a ,suitablecrank handle. (not shown) on the inside ,of the door by whichthe window may be raisedhor lowered as desired. -,Since the constructionand operationfot theywindow regulator, form no part ofthe present invention, more detailed 'i1lus tration and description are not considered neces-' sary. I

V .lntegralrwiththe retainer part.24 is a bracket plate 30 formed with a mounting plate 3 l,.which is rigid with: respect to the bracket plate-'30. Carried by the mountingi3l is a roller 3Z of a, construction which will hereinafter be described and which-runs along the tracks formed by. the guide channel I3. v

' the adjacentend of the channel 22 and depend ingtherefrom-Js a bracket33 formed of-a pair glass 7 of laterally spaced plates 34 and 35. The plates 34 and 35 are formed with registering horizontally elongate slots 36 which terminate at their inner ends in enlarged openings 31. Carried by the plates 34 and 35 is a roller 38 having a pair of laterally spaced flanged rims or wheels 39, each having an outer flange 40 adapted to bear against and ride along the free edge of the adjacent track 20, the rim portion being disposed on the inside thereof. The rims 39 are integrally connected by a hub portion 4| and the roller is mounted for rotation about a shaft 42 havin its outer end portions disposed respectively in the elongate sldts 36.

The shaft 42 is formed adjacent its opposite ends with parallel grooves 42 into which fit respectively the upper and lower edge portions of the slots 38. It will thus be apparent that in assembling the roller 38, the roller is first placed between the bracket portions 34 and 35 with its axial hole in alignment with the enlarged openings 31. The shaft or pin 42 is then inserted in such manner that the slots 42' are disposed horizontally to receive the edge portions of the slot 36. It will thus be apparent that the shaft 42 can slide horizontally but is held from turning movements and assembly can be readily accomplished. Outward movement of the roller 38 toward the tracks 20 is defined by the outer end of the slots 36. The roller 32 is formed similarly to the roller 38 except that the ends of its shaft are flanged to hold it in place.

Fixed to the lower portion of the bracket 33 and disposed between the plates 34 and 35 is a spiral spring 44, which has its inner end disposed between the arms of a Li -shaped c1ip'45 and its free end 46 bearing against the inner side of the hub 4| of the roller. In this manner the roller 38. is urged toward the guide tracks, 20. The lost motion afforded by the roller 38 compensates for irregularities or inaccuracies in the positioning and conformation of the guide bars I3 and I8 and associated parts and afiords limited adjusting movement so that the guide tracks are intimately engaged and the movement of the window I 2 upwardly and downwardly facilitated.

In the form shown in Figures 4 and 5, the roller 380. which is of similar construction to the roller 38 is carried for rotation between a pair of arms 41, the inner ends of which are pivoted on a pin 4.8 which is connected at its ends to the bracket plates 34a and 35a. A spring 48 is anchored to the bracket plate 35a at one end, encircles the pin 48, and engages one of the arms 41 for urging the roller 38a into engagement with the track 28. In this form a roller 32a is mounted at the opposite end of the glass engaging channel 22a for movement about a fixed shaft as will be readily understood. In other respects this form is similar to. that above described, the spring tensionedl roller 38a affording the lost motion to compensate for irregularities and inaccuracies in the door construction and assembly.

In the form shown in Figures 6 to 8, the window glass |2b is embraced at its lower edge by a channel 22b. The window is raised and lowered by suitable regulator mechanism R as above described. At one side of the channel 221; depends a bracket 33b carrying a roller 38b similar to the roller 38 above described and similarly mounted for lost motion in a horizontal direction. Since the roller 38b is similarly constructed and mounted as above described, detailed description is not considered necessary here. At the opposite end of the channel 22b is fixed a depending bracket 58 similar to the bracket 33b and carrying a roller 5| which is similarly mounted to the roller 38b having lost motion in a horizontal direction. In this form, it will be noted that a leaf spring 52 engages the hub of the roller 5| at one end and the opposite end is secured by a rivet 53 to the bracket 50. Secured to the upper end of the bracket is a pair of upstanding bracket arms 54 on which is mounted a roller 55 similar in form to the roller 5| and engaging the guide tracks 28b similar to the guide tracks 28 above described. As indicated in Figure 7, it will be noted that the adjacent edge-of the window glass |2b extends between the flanged wheels 39b.

It will be observed that the wheel 55 is disposed above the inner or lower end of the glass |2b and the rollers 5| and 33b are disposed below the inner end of the glass I217. Preferably the rollers 33b and 5| have lost motion in a horizontal direction while the roller 55 does not have such lost motion. As indicated in Figure 8, the window opening ||b is such that when the window is in its raised or closed position, the roller 55 is concealed by the usual garnish moldmg.

The arrangement of the rollers 55, 5| and 33b affords a three point contact which not only effectively guides the movement of the window toward and away from closed position but also militates against tilting or cramping of the window glass in the guide channels. It also provides a support of particular advantage in the case of a window glass which is not fully engaged at its side edges in the usual felt channels.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle having a window opening, a window movable to cover and uncover the opening, there being a well into which said window is movable, means for guiding the movement of said window, said guiding means comprising an elongate rigid guide extending into said well and providing a track, a bracket connected to the end of the window whichextends into said well, a roller engaging said track, means for mounting said roller on said bracket to aiford lost motion thereof in a direction toward and away from the track, said mounting means including an elongate slot in said bracket and a shaft for said roller having a pair of parallel slots receiving opposite edge portions of said slot, and spring means urging said roller outwardly toward said track.

2. In a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which said elongate slot terminates at its inner end in an enlargement to admit said roller shaft.

3. In a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, in which said bracket comprises a pair of depending spaced plates, each plate having said elongate slot, and opposite end portions of said shaft having said parallel slots to receive edge portions of said elongate slots respectively.

4. In a vehicle having a window opening, a

window movable to cover and uncover said opening, there being a well into which said window is movable, means for guiding the movement of said window, said guiding means comprising a'pair of elongate rigid spaced guides extending into said well, a roller engaging one of said guides, a mounting for said roller providing a connection to the end of the window which extends into said well, a pair of vertically spaced rollers engaging the other guide, means to mount said rollers on said window whereby one roller of said pair is disposed a substantial distance above and remote from the inner end of the window and the other is disposed below the aforesaid end of said window, means associated With at least one of said rollers affording lost motion toward and away from the adjacent guide, and spring means urging said last roller toward such guide.

5. In a vehicle having a window opening, a window movable to cover and uncover said opening, there being a well into which said window is movable, means for guiding the movement of said window, said guide means comprising a pair of spaced elongate rigid guides extending into said well, a roller connected to the end of said window which extends into said well and mounted adjacent one side thereof to engage the adjacent guide, a movable mounting for said roller enabling movement toward and away from said guide, spring means urging said roller toward said guide, a pair of rollers on the opposite side of said window, one of the rollers being a substantial distance above and remote from the aforesaid end of the window, means providing a connection between said rollers and the window, means for mounting the lower of said rollers to afford lost motion toward and away from the adjacent guide, and spring means urging said last roller toward the adjacent guide.

6. A guide for a vertically movable window of a vehicle body comprising a bracket depending from the lower end of the window at one side thereof, a roller, a mounting for the roller enabling movement substantially parallel with the lower edge of the window, spring means urging the roller in an outward direction, a second bracket secured to the opposite side of the window, a roller, means to mount the roller on said bracket enabling movement thereof in a direction parallel to the lower edge of the window, spring means urging said roller in an outward direction, an extension on said last bracket, and a roller on said extension having its axis fixed and in parallel spaced relationship to the axis of said last mentioned roller.

7. A guide for a vertically slidable window of a vehicle body comprising a pair of rollers below the bottom of the window and adjacent opposite side edges thereof, means to mount each roller to the window to enable lost motion thereof in a direction toward and away from each other, a spring associated with each roller for urging the same man outward direction, and a third roller spaced a substantial distance above and remote from the bottom edge of the window and having its axis in parallel relation to the roller below it,

and means for mounting said last roller providing a connection to the window.

8. In a guide for a vehicle window as claimed in claim 7 characterizedin that said third roller is provided with spaced flange parts, the window extending into the space between said flange parts.

9. In a vehicle having a window opening, a window movable to cover and uncover the opening, there being a well into which said window is movable, means for guiding the movement of said window, said guiding means comprising an elongate rigid guide extending into said well and providing a track, a bracket connected to the window and adapted to extend into said well, a

roller engaging said track, means for mounting said roller on said bracket to afford movement thereof in a direction toward and away from said track, said mounting means including a key: hole slot formed in said bracket with its enlarged portion remote from said track, a shaft for said roller adapted to be extended through the enlarged portion of said keyhole slot in assembly, said shaft being of reduced diameter adjacent its ends to be received within the restricted portion of said keyhole slot and to be guided by the edges thereof, and spring means urging said roller toward said track and into the restricted portion of said keyhole slot. V

10. In a vehicle having a window opening, a window movable to cover and uncover said opening, there being a well into which said window is movable, means for guiding the movement of said window, said guide means comprising a pair of spaced elongate rigid guides extending into said well, a bracket depending from the lower end of the window at one sidethereof, a roller engaging the adjacent rigid guide, a mounting for said roller enabling movement substantially parallel with the lower edge of the window in directions toward and away from said rigid guide, spring means urging the roller in an outward direction toward said rigid guide, a second bracket secured to the opposite side of the window, aroller on said second bracket engageable with the adjacent rigid guide, meansto mount the roller on said second bracket enabling movement thereof in a direction parallel tothe lower edge of the window, spring means urging said second roller in an outward direction toward the respective rigid guide, an extension on said last bracket, and a roller on said extension having its axis fixed and in parallel spaced relationship to the axis of said last mentioned roller, said fixedly mounted roller having a pair of spaced annular rim flanges receiving the adjacent rigid guide therebetween on one side and the adjacent portion of the window on the opposite side.

BURTON S. FLORADAY. 

